We all have goals. I bet most people reading this set New Years resolutions every year, but how many people actually define those resolutions, plan to achieve them, or break them down into meaningful action items that are so simple you can’t fail?

In business our goals, and the plans to make to achieve them, are not only important, they are crucial to our success. As the old saying goes “Failing to plan, is planning to fail” and, oh how true that is.

Whatever your ultimate goals are, you should have a plan that outlines how you will get there.

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Have Goals

If you are in business for yourself, there must be a reason for it? I want to quit my day job, I want to be filfthy rich, I want to spend more time with my family, I want to travel the world, I want to spend my days watching tv… Whatever your ultimate goals in life, and for your business are, make them, and write them down.

Your goals drive everything you do to achieve them.

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Have a Plan to Achieve Those Goals

According to Antoine de Saint-Exupery “A goal without a plan is just a wish”.

I live in Michigan, and I want to take a trip to England. Should I just walk out the door and aimlessly wander until I find my way there? I might want to go there, but unless I have a plan it’s highly unlikely I’ll make it.

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Chunk Those Goals Up

Most goals are kind of big, at least mine are. I’d rather aim for the stars and take small measured steps to get there, checking off milestones along the way, than take a bullet train to the next stop and then decide what my next goal will be.

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Have A Plan For Each Chunk

Just because something seems small or simple, doesn’t mean you can do it without a plan. chuck up your plan into monthly goals, weekly goals, even daily goals and plan out what you need to do to achieve your targets.

Make your daily to-do lists for the next day before you go to bed. When you wake up you’ll already know whats on the agenda for the day, making it a lot easier to get into action mode.

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Include Deadlines

“Without deadlines and restrictions I just tend to become preoccupied with other things.” – Val Kilmer

This is exactly why deadlines are super important. If you don’t set deadlines on your tasks, you will allow distractions tog et in the way. Give yourself realistic deadlines and hold yourself accountable.

According to the life lessons from my daughters Taekwondo classes

“Accountability is having the integrity to commit to our promises, and the willingness to face the consequences when we don’t.”

You need to have this mentality with your goals and plans. Make them, and stick to them.

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Do You Plan For Success?

Do you set goals and make plans like this? If you do, or have other ways of planning let me know in the comments below please, i’m always looking for ways to improve my planning process!